Championship rivals now want to sign £5m Leeds United player on loan, 49ers wanted him gone in the summer

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A host of Leeds United’s fringe players are attracting either loan or permanent interest this month.

Joe Gelhardt has been mentioned as a loan target for numerous Championship sides, while Old Firm duo Celtic and Rangers are also said to be keen on the 21-year-old.

His former U21s teammate Charlie Cresswell is another in a similar position, with the centre-back reportedly unhappy at Elland Road due to his lack of game time under Daniel Farke.

Leo Hjelde and Lewis Bate, meanwhile, could also be allowed to leave. However, the latest youngster on the fringes at Leeds who is a target elsewhere, is midfielder Darko Gyabi.

According to the Plymouth Herald, Leeds’ fourth round FA Cup opponents Plymouth Argyle are keen on signing Gyabi for the rest of the season, having lost their manager, and two key midfielders in the last few weeks,

Plymouth keen on Gyabi loan deal

Having lost former boss Steven Schumacher to Stoke City, Ian Foster has been named as his replacement in the dugout – a coach which Gyabi knows extremely well.

Foster was in charge of the England U20s squad for last summer’s World Cup, of which Gyabi played a key part in, scoring in a group stage victory over Uruguay.

Plymouth have seen key midfield duo Finn Azaz and Luke Cundle depart in the opening 10 days of the window. Both saw their loans end early, before departing for other clubs, with the former joining Middlesbrough permanently, and the latter linking back up on loan with Schumacher at Stoke.

That is set to leave them in the market for a new midfielder and Gyabi is someone who fits the bill. He has not made a single appearance since August for Leeds, with Ethan Ampadu, Glen Kamara, Archie Gray and Ilia Gruev all ahead of him in the pecking order.

Having signed from Manchester City for £5 million in the summer 2022, it had been hoped he would play a key role this season, but that has just not been the case.

Gyabi was even the subject of a £5 million offer from Valenciennes in the last window and although the 49ers were happy to let him leave, a deal did not materialise.